We just had a "visit" from the PEA, they did not come in but walked around the property and took pictures of the Solar Panels.

 

The GTI's were turned off so the Meter wasn't spinning backwards.

 

Now we have to wait and see what happens. But my guess is that they will change the meter (but that is just guessing).

 

In any case will keep you guys updated.

Forgot to add:

 

Panels are totally NOT visible from the Road, the only road they are visible from is a dirt "road" to the fields (no houses on that road).

 

 

Do keep us informed on what transpires.

 

Our panels are all too visible on Google Maps, so if PEA get the urge, they don't even need to leave their aircon office.

 

100 Million % I am as curious as you guys.

 

We are both a bit in shock, and we are dismantling the GTI's tonight.

 

Cables and GTI's will go in storage for the time being. If nothing happens then it's easy to re-connect.

5 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Our panels are all too visible on Google Maps, so if PEA get the urge, they don't even need to leave their aircon office.

Very convenient for them (not for us ???? )

 

I just checked and yes they are visible in Google Maps as well.

 

And wow that is a very recent Sat image, as the house from one of the neighbours they only recently started building (1 month ago) is already visible.

 

Taken during the flooding, in fact I could nail it to a few days from the pattern of the sandbags.

 

Is that the latest image?

 

Ours is way more recent then that, my guess it's even from 2023 because that house of the Neighbour has already it's roof on it and that happened maybe only 2ish weeks ago

I wouldn't be too worried about PEA visiting, we had them come here when we kept blowing the fuse at the transformer, they know we have a large solar installation and they haven't done anything to us except split our 6 house development across 3 phases instead of all on one phase.

I tend to agree, but they taking pictures of our Solar Panels (which are from the road approx 60-80 meters) and to access (sorry not access but view) them (side of the house) you have to go down a "hill" and then walk through rice fields with grass approx 50 centimetres high, that got us a bit worried.

15 minutes ago, MJCM said:

Is that the latest image?

 

Yup, after the flooding had peaked and the bags were about to be removed.

To give you guys an idea, the Panels near the House are TOTALLY not visible from the Side of the property, ONLY the Panels on the Wall. And you see how far it is from the road

 

So they put some effort in to take pictures of them.

 

Edit: They were approx standing where the letter P is from the Panels on the Wall

 

 

21 minutes ago, MJCM said:

I tend to agree, but they taking pictures of our Solar Panels (which are from the road approx 60-80 meters) and to access (sorry not access but view) them (side of the house) you have to go down a "hill" and then walk through rice fields with grass approx 50 centimetres high, that got us a bit worried.

So they trespassed on private property just to get some photographs of your panels?

It is not illegal to own solar panels in Thailand, so I would not be too concerned.

 

Wild speculation... do you have a spiteful neighbour who may have dobbed you in to the PEA? 

3 minutes ago, Encid said:

So they trespassed on private property just to get some photographs of your panels?

It is not illegal to own solar panels in Thailand, so I would not be too concerned.

They did not Enter our Property, but used the property next door (by chance that is also owned by us) to walk through the rice field to the location where the panels are visible.

 

5 minutes ago, Encid said:

Wild speculation... do you have a spiteful neighbour who may have dobbed you in to the PEA? 

Nah doubt it, because they don't have a clue and as said where the panels are they are not visible for any of the neighbours as they all build their house right at the road and we went way further in.

 

The panels are only visible from that dirt road I mentioned that is used by the farmers to go the rice fields and PEA has no business on that road (no houses no electric cables etc)

 

Our personal guess is that because we went from almost 300 units to only 58 units (but AGAIN that is just guessing)

 

 

You are not breaking any law (in the legal sense) exporting to PEA, you are only breaking their rules, it's no big deal, they are probably happy now that they understand why your consumption has dropped.

 

Funny story, I checked our meter at 8:00 on the day they come to read our meter, we had used -5 units,  I quickly plugged my EV in to charge and consume at least 5 units as quickly as possible.

 

I checked again at 8:30 and they had already read the meter, paper bill on the gatepost, same reading as the month before, 0 units consumed and 26.34 baht standing charge only.  They have never come before 9:30 and it's sometimes as late as 14:00.  That will teach me to get complacent.

 

They will come 3 days earlier this month because the month has only 28 days.

10 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

You are not breaking any law (in the legal sense) exporting to PEA, you are only breaking their rules, it's no big deal, they are probably happy now that they understand why your consumption has dropped.

We will wait and see, SWMBO is a bit angry at me, especially after I asked can I have a Budget to buy an ESS now?

 

Edit: Someone once said to me "Be prepared for a long time without Nookie"

24 minutes ago, MJCM said:

 

Our personal guess is that because we went from almost 300 units to only 58 units (but AGAIN that is just guessing)

 

This is a worrying factor for me at the moment.  Since our last meter reading on the 16th Jan. our small scale system has been enjoying the sunshine and more than meeting our daytime needs.  As a result we have only purchased 10 units from our local PEA and with just over a week until the next reading we could be at a record low reading.

 

Our panels are mounted on the carport roof and definately not visible from the road.  But as @Crossymentioned, they are clearly visable from a MIC weather ballon.

 

The photo is very recent.  The white pickup parked opposite has only been there for about 3 weeks.

16 minutes ago, MJCM said:

They did not Enter our Property, but used the property next door (by chance that is also owned by us) to walk through the rice field to the location where the panels are visible.

 

Nah doubt it, because they don't have a clue and as said where the panels are they are not visible for any of the neighbours as they all build their house right at the road and we went way further in.

 

The panels are only visible from that dirt road I mentioned that is used by the farmers to go the rice fields and PEA has no business on that road (no houses no electric cables etc)

 

Our personal guess is that because we went from almost 300 units to only 58 units (but AGAIN that is just guessing)

 

 

 Do you have a safety feature built in if spinning meter and they shut line for maintenance.

 

5 minutes ago, farmerjo said:

 Do you have a safety feature built in if spinning meter and they shut line for maintenance.

Yep both GTI's do that, I forgot the name, as soon as the power fails they stop exporting. I tested it many times and works.

 

Anti Islanding I believe it's called

 

Edit: Another "safety feature" is that we turn them off every time we leave the property and turn them back on as soon as we are back home so when the power goes back off (when we are home), I unplug them.

11 minutes ago, farmerjo said:

 Do you have a safety feature built in if spinning meter and they shut line for maintenance.

 

Yeah, it's built into every domestic-type grid-tie inverter I've ever come across.

 

Anti-islanding is indeed the correct term.

Sorry, I'm totally ignorant. What is causing the worrying here? Is there a potential for some legal action related to having solar panels?

Just now, NorthernRyland said:

Sorry, I'm totally ignorant. What is causing the worrying here? Is there a potential for some legal action related to having solar panels?

It's not so much "legal" as "naughty".

 

Unless you have permission, you are not supposed to feed back surplus power into the PEA grid. Getting permission is like having orders signed in triplicate, sent in, sent back, queried, lost, found, subjected to public inquiry, lost again, and finally buried in soft peat for three months and recycled as firelighters.

Just now, JBChiangRai said:

It's not so much "legal" as "naughty".

 

Unless you have permission, you are not supposed to feed back surplus power into the PEA grid. Getting permission is like having orders signed in triplicate, sent in, sent back, queried, lost, found, subjected to public inquiry, lost again, and finally buried in soft peat for three months and recycled as firelighters.

But that said, they did not see our Meter spinning backwards as the GTI's were turned off. Also one day before Meter Reading day and also on Meter reader day they are turned off. They could have driven past of course when the GTI's were working but they are already turned off since Jan 29th so a bit strange that they come today!

1 minute ago, JBChiangRai said:

It's not so much "legal" as "naughty".

 

Unless you have permission, you are not supposed to feed back surplus power into the PEA grid. Getting permission is like having orders signed in triplicate, sent in, sent back, queried, lost, found, subjected to public inquiry, lost again, and finally buried in soft peat for three months and recycled as firelighters.

Oh I didn't get that part.

 

I remember my Dad has a solar system back in the US and they paid him for surplus power (which makes sense to me). Why does PEA not have a similar deal? Everyone wins right?

Just now, NorthernRyland said:

Oh I didn't get that part.

 

I remember my Dad has a solar system back in the US and they paid him for surplus power (which makes sense to me). Why does PEA not have a similar deal? Everyone wins right?

Send a PM to member @Thaifish and asking him how long he is already waiting.

 

He has done everything legal and he already send in the paper work BUT zilch progress.

 

I guess it's well over 1 year now Fishy???

1 minute ago, NorthernRyland said:

Why does PEA not have a similar deal?

 

They do, but the rate they pay for export is pretty dismal (even after a recent increase) and getting your system approved is "impossible" for a DIY installation.

 

The vast majority of small domestic systems simply spin the regular meter backwards during export and get 1:1 on the re-imported units.

2 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

Why does PEA not have a similar deal? Everyone wins right?

 

They do but the equipment has to be approved, installed by an approved installer who usually charge a fortune and the paperwork is typically onerous so "palms have to be greased" at more cost.  Then they buy back your surplus power at half the price they charge you for their power.

A couple of my friends have been caught by the meter reader spinning their meters backwards, one of the apologised profusely and said it was set up incorrectly, the other got an estimated bill and it was corrected again the following month.  But no huge problems.

1 minute ago, JBChiangRai said:

They do but the equipment has to be approved, installed by an approved installer who usually charge a fortune and the paperwork is typically onerous so "palms have to be greased" at more cost.  Then they buy back your surplus power at half the price they charge you for their power.

So corruption and bureaucracy are holding back the country from making progress. Imagine my shock.

Just now, NorthernRyland said:

So corruption and bureaucracy are holding back the country from making progress. Imagine my shock.

They are always making promises to improve it but nothing seems to happen.

 

Our (current) very Basic setup is only 2 x GTI's 6 panels and some Solar Cable. It doesn't generate much but it helped (some other energy saving measures as well) to decrease our Bill from almost 300 Units 5 months ago to 58 units last month.

 

With an ROI of up to 33%, not fitting Grid-Tied solar power is plain stupid.

 

As the country transitions to EV's, PEA need all the help they can get from us with our tiny little installations.